The present invention broadly relates to the field of pumping apparatuses. More precisely, the invention is concerned with a connector for connecting a portable pump to an engine.
Known in the art is Canadian patent no. 563.438, which concerns an internal combustion engine and a pump which are so linked together that they can be set up quickly at the point of use. The engine has a housing which includes a collar extending axially outwardly about its drive shaft. The pump has a housing including a collar extending axially outwardly about its impeller drive shaft. The respective collars have abutting portions adapted to register with each other, with an outwardly extending flange. Clamping means are provided for clamping the respective collars together, so that the pump body is removably connected to the engine. The clamping means comprise a split-ring adapted to encircle the mating flanges. One end of each split ring is connected to the adjacent end of the other split ring by an adjustable screw connection, so that the circumference of the entire ring can be adjusted. The other ends of the split rings are connected together by a toggle link controlled by a clamping lever, whereby these ends can be drawn together after the device has been put in place to encircle the mating flanges of the pump and engine.
Although quite successful, this linkage suffers from a number of drawbacks, such as difficulty in clamping, jamming of the mechanism, fatigue, and length of time required to unclamp the collar, change one part or the other of the pump, and then reclamp both components.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector for connecting a pump to an engine that is easy to manipulate and that may allow the pump to be readily detachable from the engine. It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector that will not jam when connecting a pump to an engine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a connector that is simple in structure thereby rendering it simple to manufacture. In accordance with the invention, these objects are achieved with a connector for connecting a pump to a detachable engine, the engine being connected to the pump through a shaft extending along a central axis and adapted to be mechanically connected to the engine and the pump, the connector comprising:
a first coupling member adapted to be installed on any one of the pump and the engine, the first coupling member extending along an axis that is coaxial to the central axis, the first coupling member comprising
a first contact surface having a plane perpendicular to the central axis;
a first sleeve projecting outwardly from the first contact surface and having a radius larger than the radius of the shaft, and
at least one flange projecting inwardly from the sleeve, the flange defining at least one opening, the at least one flange defining an inner radius smaller than the radius of the first sleeve but larger than the radius of the shaft,
a second coupling member coaxial to the central axis and adapted to be installed on the other one of the pump and the engine, the second coupling member comprising:
a second contact surface complementary to the first contact surface,
a second sleeve projecting outwardly from the second contact surface, and having a radius larger than the radius of the shaft but smaller than the inner radius of the first sleeve, and
at least one tooth projecting outwardly from the second sleeve, the at least one tooth designed to fit in the at least one opening of the first sleeve,
wherein, when the first and second sleeves are brought together, the at least one tooth is in registry and is adapted to fit within the at least one opening of the first sleeve so to allow rotational engagement between the first and second coupling members and thereby frictionally engage and connect said first and second coupling members together.
An advantage provided by such connector is that it is designed to quickly set up the pump and the engine as well as to quickly release the pump from the engine when needed so. This connector also advantageously allows a user to disconnect the pump from the engine without requiring the use of any tools.